


(L)inked

by jazzaiko



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, M/M, Short & Sweet, Slice of Life, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Strangers to Lovers, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:02:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22679929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jazzaiko/pseuds/jazzaiko
Summary: What are the odds of two people becoming a couple, even soulmates, when they don't even know each other?Soulmates AU where the first tattoo you get will appear on your soulmate's skin too. Out of curiosity, Sehun decides to get a tattoo.
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Park Chanyeol, Kim Jongdae | Chen/Oh Sehun
Comments: 18
Kudos: 112





	(L)inked

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dinochen21](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dinochen21/gifts).



> Written for Nui
> 
> Inspired from this [prompt](https://twitter.com/windstruck9421/status/1226899123833466880?s=19)
> 
> Unbeta-ed, I'm sorry for any mistakes.

The night is pretty quiet today. The light buzz from tattoo machines combined with a song humming from the speakers is therapeutic to his ears. However, the serenity is broken when the bell that is placed near the door rings, indicating a customer has come. 

"Jongdae, can you get the customer? I'm still not done here." Chanyeol - his best friend, the owner of this tattoo parlor and as well as its artist - asks him from behind the curtains. 

"Okay," Jongdae sighs and stands up from behind the counter. 

He sees a young man near the door, dressed casually in a white t-shirt and a cap. Jongdae has a suspicion that this customer is actually a model, seeing how tall and lean he is, his broad shoulders, and that cold beauty. 

"May I help you?" Jongdae greets warmly, putting his best smile. Customers are king, he will treat them all nicely although it is almost closing hours.

"Oh. Are you working here?" The man asks, eyeing him up and down. "Or are you a student waiting to get your tattoo?"

Jongdae knows he doesn't look his age, but he is sure he doesn’t look _that_ young. He has the urge to glare at this customer but decides to be the bigger man and calms himself. "I may look young but I am an adult and yes, I am working here." 

The man's well-sculpted face breaks into an apologetic smile. "Ah, sorry for that. I want to get a tattoo."

"This way." Jongdae leads him to sit down. "What kind of tattoo do you have in mind? Small? Big? Tribal? Something simple?"

"Maybe something small and simple? It's my first tattoo."

Jongdae takes a book of samples and puts it on the table. "Here are some of the designs we have. Feel free to browse and see if anything fits your fancy."

The man flips through the pages, then pauses on the pages with numbers design. “I want this one.” His finger lingers on the design with number five. 

"Alright," Jongdae takes the paper to make an outline for the design. "Where do you want it to be?" The customer points on his left wrist. 

After cleaning and sterilizing the area, Jongdae puts the outlined paper over the wrist. "Are you ready?" he asks, preparing the needle. 

The customer went silent. "Are you okay?" Jongdae asks. He realizes the arm he is about to tattoo on is shivering too.

The man lets out a sigh. "Honestly I'm afraid of needles." His worried eyes meet Jongdae’s. "And is it going to hurt? I heard from my friend, it is painful." This person may look mature from the outside, but it seems deep inside he is still a baby.

Jongdae gives a warm smile, trying to comfort the other man. "It might hurt a tiny bit, but don't worry, I will make sure it's not too much. And I will talk to you too so you won't really feel it."

The customer takes deep breaths to calm himself. "Okay. I’m ready."

Jongdae starts working. As promised, he sneaks in small talks in between. "What's your name?"

The customer answers, "I'm Sehun. And you are?"

"Jongdae." 

Sehun hums in response. Sitting close to each other, he can take a good look at the tattoo artist. Jongdae has a small face and small build that radiates with energy and positivity, captivating his attention. Not to mention the small smiles Jongdae has on his face as he gently draws on his skin. He might have a soft spot for this adorable man. 

"What makes you want to have a tattoo?" Jongdae always asks this question to his customers. He wonders why people want to have something permanently inked to their skin until they die. Their reasons often have deep meaning like a word of encouragement to see when they feel down or something to remind them of their loved ones. Sometimes it's silly, like a dare.

Sehun suddenly coughs. "Please don't laugh."

"Depends on your reason."

Sehun pauses for a while as if deciding to tell Jongdae or not. "Do you believe it when people say the first tattoo you have will appear on your soulmate's skin?" 

Jongdae scoffs. "No, I don't. You?"

"I do. And honestly, I have been wondering. Who is my soulmate? All of my friends have somehow found their partners, their soulmates… it makes me want to find mine."

“By getting a tattoo,” Jongdae completes the sentence for him. Sehun nods. It is a weird reason, but he can still accept it. Jongdae is curious though. “Why a number five? Is it your favorite number or something?”

“My surname is Oh. So, number five is something special to me.” Sehun replies. Realization hits Jongdae. Oh sounds similar to the pronunciation of number five in Korean. No wonder.

"I realize you are pretty clean for a tattoo artist." Sehun gestures to Jongdae's spotless arms. 

Jongdae huffs. He hates the stereotype and assumption people have regarding his profession: that people working in tattoo parlor must be covered in tattoos. "Just because I draw tattoos on other people's skin doesn't mean I have to draw on mine." 

Sehun laughs. It feels weird hearing such high-pitched laughter coming from him, yet there is a sense of cuteness to it. "Sorry. No need to be so offended." He returns his attention to Jongdae’s fingers which are handling the needle delicately. 

There is one more reason, but Jongdae doesn’t want to reveal it to anyone. 

Like Sehun, Jongdae too has heard of the soulmate tattoo. He used to think it is silly to rely on something as trivial as a matching tattoo to determine if a person is the destined one for him... until Chanyeol decided to get his first tattoo. The same LOEY tattoo appeared on his other best friend Kyungsoo, on the exact same location. His two best friends have been dating ever since, happy and in love.

Not wanting to miss any sign from his soulmate, Jongdae decided to wait. Wait, and wait. It has been years since he became a tattoo artist, inking on someone else’s skin every single day. He lost count on how many customers he has, but nothing shows up on his skin, not even a dot. Jongdae gives up already. Either his soulmate has no intention of getting a tattoo, or probably the soulmate tattoo is just for select people. Or maybe the entire thing is just dumb as he initially thought.

As Jongdae continues to ink on Sehun’s skin, somehow his left wrist feels a bit itchy, but he ignores it. He wants to finish Sehun’s tattoo as soon as possible.

“I’m almost done, please hang on a bit longer.” 

When he finishes, Sehun is looking at him weirdly, with a mix of confusion, amusement, happiness and also a hint of tears as if he is about to cry. Worried, Jongdae asks, “What is it? Are you okay? Was it too painful?”

Sehun shakes his head, then points to Jongdae’s left wrist. And to his surprise, the same design he inked on Sehun’s skin is there too.

“Finally, I found you.” 

Jongdae can’t believe his eyes. “What the hell?” He glances at his wrist then Sehun, then his wrist again. The whole thing feels surreal. On one hand, he is happy that he finally gets to meet his soulmate, but on another hand, he is wary because Sehun is a total stranger. 

What are the odds of two people becoming a couple, even soulmates, when they don't even know each other?

He doesn’t say anything when Sehun paid for the tattoo. Sehun keeps looking at him with concern. “Is something wrong?” he asks for the nth time. 

Jongdae shakes his head. “I’m just… trying to… I mean, we don’t even know each other!” 

Sehun leans over, a bit too close to Jongdae’s comfort. “Well, we can change that,” he adds with a wink. He smirks, leaving something on the table before walking out, the bell rings as the door closes behind him.

“What is it?” Chanyeol’s voice suddenly breaks the silence. He walks out from behind the curtain with his customer. As he handles the payment, his eyes catch a brand new tattoo on his best friend’s wrist. 

He is about to ask, but Jongdae cuts him off. “Nothing.”

~~~

From that day onwards, the phone at LOEY Body Art rings at least once a day. 

“Good morning, is Jongdae around?” 

“Hello, good afternoon. Jongdae is that you?”

Jongdae slams the phone down, disconnecting the call every time he hears that man’s voice on the line. Can Sehun stop calling and stop annoying him? Jongdae knows he should be glad that his years of waiting comes to an end. But he refuses to believe that Sehun, someone he barely knows, is his fated soulmate - just because his first tattoo appeared on his skin too. In his opinion, it takes more than a matching tattoo to actually love someone and make things work, and he is not sure if Sehun has what it takes.

Chanyeol eyes him with eyebrows raised. This entire picking up the phone and putting it down again without saying anything is getting ridiculous. “Who is that?” 

“Nobody,” Jongdae replies with a frown. 

The phone rings again and Jongdae is about to pick it up, but Chanyeol is faster. “Hello.”

“Oh hello, finally someone replies. Is Jongdae there?” 

Chanyeol glances across the table. His best friend makes an X with his arms, eyes pleading and whispering “I’m not here”. Smirking, Chanyeol replies, “Yes, he is in front of me right now.” He can feel a smack on his elbow, but Chanyeol keeps his cool. “Who is this, may I know?”

“I’m Sehun, I came to get a tattoo at your place a few days ago. Please tell Jongdae to call me back. I have something to say to him. Very important." 

“Will do,” Chanyeol says easily, “Is there anything else I can help?”

“Please tell him I won’t give up.” 

“Okay.” 

The call ends. Chanyeol glances at his best friend. “It was Sehun. What is this all about? Tell me, Dae.” 

Jongdae averts his eyes, huffing and puffing. Chanyeol sighs at Jongdae's stubbornness. “I thought we are best friends? And there is no secret between us?”

Jongdae turns towards him, pink color flushing his apple-like cheeks. “You know I never believed the tattoo soulmate thing. I did Sehun’s tattoo a few days ago, and somehow it appeared on me too.” He rolls his sleeve, showing Chanyeol the number five on his left wrist. “I just… I don't know what to do. I mean, you and Kyungsoo, you both already know each other. But for me… I don't even know who Sehun is, not sure if he is interested in me or just want to annoy me... and if he is really the right one for me. You know how many failed relationships I had in the past." Jongdae looks so frustrated and confused like a lost kitten.

So that's what happened. A soft smile forms on Chanyeol’s face. “I’m happy for you, Dae.” He reaches out and grabs his best friend’s hand, squeezing it lightly to reassure him. “I understand you may be afraid and wary. But Sehun… he has been calling you all these time, right?" Jongdae nods.

"Dae, maybe you should give him a chance. He is really trying, you know.” 

Jongdae lets out a sigh. Should he open up his heart again?

After the shop is closed later on that day, Jongdae opens his wallet. The card Sehun left for him is still inside. He dials the number on his phone, debating whether he should press the call button or not. 

His thumb accidentally presses it.

Panicked, Jongdae tries to disconnect the call but someone picks up already. “Hello?”

Maybe he really has to start something. “Sehun, it’s me.” 

“Jongdae! You called back!” Even though Sehun is not in front of him, Jongdae can imagine him grinning widely, sensing the happiness in his voice.

Jongdae can’t help but let a smile form on his face. “What is it? Chanyeol told me you have something to say". 

There is silence. Then a huff of breath. “Jongdae, I just want to know you. I know we are technically strangers right now, but I really want to try. Will you let me?” 

It feels as if there is a battle inside of his heart happening right now. Will he give Sehun a chance, or will he just cut him off as everything never happened to protect his heart? Then Jongdae remembers his best friend’s advice, how happy Chanyeol and Kyungsoo is.

Maybe he should really give it a try. 

“Okay.” 

“Thank you, Jongdae. Thank you.” 

~~~

Kyungsoo rarely comes to his partner’s tattoo parlor, but today he pays a visit since his boyfriend told him to meet up there before dinner. The bell rings as he pushes the door open. The rustic interior design, the funky artworks on the wall, the music playing in the background… Everything is just like how he remembers it to be when he last visited. 

Except for the unfamiliar man sitting in the waiting area, playing with his phone. 

Kyungsoo takes a seat beside the man. Sensing someone next to him, the man looks up and smiles. “Are you here to get a tattoo?” he asks with a husky voice. 

Kyungsoo swoons upon seeing how good the other man looks, his well-defined features and a sharp pair of eyes. “No, but I know the owner of this tattoo parlor.” 

“Only know the owner, Soo?” 

Chanyeol comes from behind the counter, smirking. “When will you start telling everyone that we are an item?” 

Kyungsoo stands up. Although his height barely reaches his boyfriend’s shoulder, he is not the least intimidated. He hits Chanyeol lightly. “I’m not into PDA as much as you are.” 

Chanyeol laughs, putting his arms around his partner and lands a kiss on the top of his head. “Kyungsoo, meet Sehun. Sehun, this is Kyungsoo, the love of my life,” he introduces both men. Sehun stands up and shakes Kyungsoo’s hand. 

Kyungsoo greets him warmly, but a question forms in his head. Chanyeol messaged him earlier to get ready for a double date.

Who is Sehun with? 

The answer unfolds before him as Jongdae appears behind the curtain with his customer. His eyes light up upon seeing them. “Sehun-ah!” he rushes over and puts his arms around the taller man. The smile on Sehun’s face grows wider as he hugs Jongdae tighter, making the smaller man feel warm, safe and loved.

Hand in Sehun's, Jongdae glances at Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. "Shall we go now? I'm starving."

"Let's go." 

A smile forms on Kyungsoo's face. At last, both of his best friends found love and are happy. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Talk to me & follow me on [twitter @b2utifulife!](https://twitter.com/b2utifulife)


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